Innocent Blood
by Theif of Shadows-Shelby
Summary: Some say that torture will make anyone crack and go insane. What if they already were insane? Shonenai, maybe some yaoi, torture. Vampires, Mariku R
1. CH 1

_Pain... Pain beyond imagination..._

They were sticking daggers into me. I could feel the burning hot metal. I suddenly began to jerk and flail as they started to pour the hot acid on my chest, were they had cut me. A burning metal rod hit me in the side, and they began to beat me, until I stopped moving. Until it hurt to move.

I whimpered. The pain in my head exploded for not following orders that had threats behind them, to stay silent through it all. I would be receiving more for that.

"Idiot boy!" one of them yelled, as he started to slam me in the ribs with the rod as I lay in pain, "Don't make a sound! We've told you that!"

He brought out a whip, actually a cat-o'-nine-tails, and continuously flogged me, as I curled up into a tight ball, but another started to beat me with the metal rod again, then pull out of my fetal position.

"Oh no, you're not hiding from any pain! Just wait till you see what else we've got... "at this, he pulled out something I had never seen before, what I could see it was a knife, with a greatly serrated edge, it also looked to have a slicker, keener edge, "We're going to have some fun with this, but first, we have to, ah, tenderize your flesh."

With that, he brought out the rod, then started to bring it down with crushing force onto my left arm, at which I heard the crack of the bones breaking. After doing that, he took the keen, non-serrated edge of the knife, then drew it along the arm, so that it took of just the amount of skin was taken off so that just a touch would make it sting. He then left the knife in a bed of hot coals, and grabbed the bottle of hot acid, and poured it on the arm, and I started to attempt to struggle, but another had fastened down my arms and legs without me noticing. Once he was done pouring on the acid, he took the knife, which was now white hot, and stabbed it into my arm. He then started to slowly take the knife out, so that it felt as if my arm was being torn apart. This continued until I couldn't even think, pain was clouding my vision, and they were mocking me.

I wished it would stop. That I could just leave. That they would grow bored with me. I had been tortured similarly to this for a while, almost a year.

I suddenly was brought back when I was laid on a bed of hot coals, and the coals were piled on me. I would have twisted and screamed, but I fell into unconsciousness...

"UP BOY!! I SAID UP!!!" a voice brought me back to reality. I felt several hits from the cat-o'-nine-tails. I had been taken out of the hot coals, instead, they had put a rope collar on me, and I was being practically dragged across the ground. Where are they leading me? Hopefully to my death....


	2. CH 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh... Or evil rabid flying monkeys

Marik's POV

It has easily been a year since my yami was banished, and now Ishizu sends me to school in Domino City. The only good thing is now I have made up with Yugi and his friends, and there has been a spell that we had done so that yamis can have their own bodies. Which means now Bakura is in his own body. He is easily my best friend. Today is normal, I'm in 5th period, listening to the teacher rambling. It's so darn BORING! The lecture today is something about alternate dimensions. I start to day dream...

I suddenly hear a gun shot and screams that bring me out of my day dream. And I see, oh man I see, the teacher has been shot and is dead. Bakura has grabbed me, and told me to follow him, which is very good advice. I hear more gunshots, and Bakura has been shot in the arm, and is temporarily stunned. I pull him, and he gets in control and starts to lead me again, to I don't know where.

Soon enough, Bakura pulls me into a room with a door that says "BOILER ROOM." Under it, it has a danger sign. He pulls me behind a large box, and we crouch down. As we listen, it sounds like someone is near. We look around, and suddenly find ourselves look into a pair of purple eyes, with a crimson set next to them. Near that, a pair of chocolate brown eyes. All of us yell and jump back, before we realize it's just the Pharaoh, Yugi, and Ryou.

"Glad to see you made it here. Have you seen the others?" Bakura says, rather sarcastically. How can he be sarcastic now, of all times?

"No, I just grabbed Yugi and Yami, then ran like heck. You?" Ryou answers.

"NO! Why else would I be asking?"

"Excuse me, but Ryou, how did you know to take us here?" Yugi steps in, while all this time Yami just sits and thinks.

"My yami sent me directions while he was running, and we were close. I just wonder how the others are."

"I believe we should look for them, and bring them here. It would be a shame for them to be killed." Yami says, the first thing this whole time.

"Yeah... DID I JUST AGREE WITH PHARAOH!?!NNEEEEEEEEUUUUUUUU!!!!!"

"Well, let's just go out and look."

With that, we're off.

Seto's POV

_Argh! My head... Why does it hurt so much? _I slowly wake up, then my eyes fly open. Blood. Everywhere. The earlier events come back, like a strike of lightning. The school was attacked. And I was, quite obviously, knocked out. I'm sure the person meant to kill me, but thought I was dead when I fell knocked out. Wait... The Elementary School is only a block away! What if it was attacked?

I get up with some difficulty, and see fully all the dead bodies around me. But I can't pay any attention to that now. I shakily look out the window, and see flames coming from the Elementary School!

"Mokuba!" I get up fully, then run to the Elementary School, not noticing anything that may be near.

2 minutes later, I'm at the Elementary School, looking for Mokuba. This school was attacked too. There's blood all around. This only makes me frantic. I run to Mokuba's room, and see blood and bodies all over.

"Mokuba? Mokuba, are you here?" my voice comes out shaky. Mokuba's not near, but I can't find his body.

"SETO! Seto, I'm in the cabinet! I can't get out! I was hiding from people that came in and attacked!" comes a voice from a metal cabinet in the corner of the room.

I open the cabinet, to have Mokuba fall out, knock me down, and hug me. I pet his hair, then pick him up as calmly as possible, then get up myself. He stands up, then look at all the bodies. I notice him go pale, and look like he's going to throw up. Until he looks some more, like something's missing.

"Hey Seto, where's Set?" he asks.

_HOLY CRAP!I forgot to find my yami!_

"I don't know, but we have to get back to the High School. I'm pretty sure that the attackers have left."

Mokuba nods, and we start to run for the High School.

Joey's POV

I'm breathing heavily, and looking around the room that I was hiding in, which is actually the school elevator. Tristan and Duke are reacting similarly, after I had found them running to another hiding place, I just pulled them along into the elevator, and sent it to the school basement. Lucky thing I had pulled the key off a dead teachers key ring, and I had grabbed the key rings of anyone else.

"Joey? How many people do think they've killed? Do you think they've gone for the rest of our friends?" Duke asks, looking around, as we decide to step out into the basement. It's dark down here, and there are boxes spread around.

"I don't..." I'm cut short by a groan.

"Who was that?" now it's Tristan's question.

I move towards the source of the noise, and move a couple of boxes to find Set, who's just coming to after what looks like a rather bad fall to the bottom of the stairs. Once he's fully come around, I pull him up. He looks like he got a bit beat up, but other wise fine.

"Oh man, that fall hurt. Errrrr... Where are we?" he inquires, whilst rubbing a cut on the back of his head.

"In the basement of the school, actually we were just about to leave to find the rest, and see who did live. You should come with us, or we could leave you here. By the way, can't you contact Seto?" is the simple yet complicated reply of Duke, who's walking to the stairs.

"Yeah... I think I will, then go with you." with that, he started to contact Seto.

Set's POV

I start to connect with Seto, while trying to make sense of the situation.

_/Seto? Are you there Seto?/_

_Yes, I'm here Set. Well, by here I mean in the school. Where _are_ you?_

_/In the basement with Joey, Tristan, and Duke. I take it Mokuba's with you?/_

_Yeah. Hey, meet me in the boiler room hallway, and I guess bring who ever is there with you._

_/Sure thing./_

With that last phrase, our link went dead.

"Hey, Seto just said to meet him in the boiler room hallway. Any objections? "No one stepped forward. "Good. Let's go."


	3. CH 3

Disclaimer: I do not own yu-gi-oh... Though I wish I could own Yami Marik

They had finished dragging me, to an odd tiled room. The chairs and tables that were in there were immediately swept away by magic. I suddenly felt a hand grab me by the back of my neck, and I am thrown against the stone wall, at which I hear many sickening cracks, and fall to the ground, pain flying through my body. I look up dazed, only to have a boot come out into my jaw, which sends me into the wall again. It doesn't stop, as one picks me up, then ties my hands together with white hot coils of metal. I whimper and try to run, only to have them punch me in the stomach continuously. They drop me to the ground, and kick me again.

One picks me up by the back of my neck, and I know what is coming. The people are vampires, as am I. He pins me to the wall, the begins to chew into the back and side of my neck with his back teeth, just to cause more pain. He licks my neck as blood begins to flow a bit, then suddenly bites. He sinks his canines into my neck, which feels like fire. Most vampires would never go after their own kind, but these people are twisted, evil. After drinking about a cup, he drops me to the ground. Another grabs me by the neck and also picks me up, preparing to feed. He sticks his fangs into the same place, and I start to struggle. He seemed to enjoy the struggle and only bit down harder.

He is enjoying this, and I can do nothing. He starts to drag me, still holding my neck in his mouth, and sits down, then kicks me. I collapse, and he takes advantage to start digging in deeper, then suddenly throws me to the ground on my front. He kneels beside me, then lifts up my body and turns me over, then starts to stick his teeth into a spot near my stomach, up near the chest, while licking up anything that is not in his mouth. Once he's gotten about 2 cups, he simply leaves me on the ground, to be in pain. The other passes by, kicks me in the side, then they both leave the room, locking the door behind them. The lights in this room are not on, leaving me in the dark.

I curl up into a tight ball, and start to sob, in pain, and being hopeless.

The door unlocks, and in steps someone. When he sees me, he simply laughs, and starts to kick me relentlessly, all over. He stops, but only when he hears several cracks of my bones. He sits down on a chair, and licks his fangs, looking at my neck, hungrily.

"Come here boy! Now! Don't make me get the cat-o'-nine-tails!" even with the threat, I can't make my muscles move to get over there, so I simply lay there, whimpering, knowing what will come next. He grabs the cat-o'-nine-tails from an unnoticed pile of weapons, and starts to mercilessly flog me, worse than ever before. Once a large portion of the skin on my back was gone, he simply kicked me over, then started on my chest then my stomach, until I couldn't hold it anymore, and let out a howl of pain, flailing and trying to escape, only to have the cat-o'-nine-tails to hit me harder. A large pool of blood had formed, soaking me, and splattering everywhere. I begin to scream and howl in pain, and was hurt more every time I did.

After a few more minutes, I began to scream out words, words I had forgotten after a year of muteness.

"PLEASE!!!! I'M BEGGING YOU!!!!!! PLEASE, STOP!!!! NOOOOO!!!!!" I began to scream out, actually begging to be forgotten, "STOP IT!!!!!!! STOP HURTING ME!!!!!!!! WHY?! WHY ARE YOU HURTING ME!!!!!!!!! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!! DON'T HURT ME ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!" he had abandoned the cat-o'-nine-tails, and was slamming me with the metal rod, while also kicking me," PLEASE!!!!!!!! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!!!!!! SOMEONE!!!! ANYONE!!!!! STOP HIM!!!!!"

"I'M NEVER GOING TO STOP!!!!!!!!!!! YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL SO MUCH PAIN BOY, YOU'LL WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN!!!!!! AND YOU'LL FEEL LIKE DIEING BUT I WON"T STOP!!!!!!" he yelled, as he hit me harder, my words were now incoherent, mixed with my sobbing and screams of pain.

Bakura's POV

Marik, Yami, Yugi, Ryou and I were running towards the screams that had started ten minutes ago, and they could now hear the sound of someone getting hit as they got closer. The screams had turned incoherent after who ever had been yelling had started to yell and scream, and then sob, but I still thought I recognized the voice, and hoped who I thought was being tortured wasn't. We kept running towards the sound, and ran into something... or shall I say someone. Mokuba and Seto Kaiba fell down as we ran right into them, and we fell down too. I started the name yelling.

"KAIBA?!"

"BAKURA?!"

"MOKUBA?!"

"RYOU!"

"YAMI!"

"KAIBA?!?!?!"

"MARIK!"

"YUGI!!"

I didn't even recognize who was saying what, it would have been funny if it weren't so serious. It wasn't until I heard the screams, which were now becoming louder, it was obvious the person was in a lot of pain, that I thought to grab Ryou and Marik by their shirt collars so that we could continue. Yugi and Yami followed suit.

"Okay... Now if you'll excuse us, Kaiba, we are heading towards those screams, who ever they belong to. So we must be going." but before I could run off, my hikari started to talk to me.

_/Yami! I would be smart to arrange to meet them someplace. Incase there's trouble./_

_Why? We don't need their help!_

_/Yeah, unless the attackers are still here./_

_Fine, I'll get them to meet us someplace._

_/Thank you!/_

_Shut up_

"Actually, Kaiba, I propose we meet someplace. Just in case there's 'trouble,' " the big surprise was that he agreed.

"Okay, I'm already meeting Set, Joey, Duke, and Tristan in the Boiler Room hallway. So you go there." and he walked off, towards the hallway that we were in.

The we started to do what we could. Run towards the screams. As we closed in, we heard maniacal laughter, and yelling, obviously from the torturer.

"YOU'LL NEVER BE HELPED, BOY!!!!!!!!!!! YOU'LL JUST SUFFER UNTIL YOU DIE!!!!!!!! AND EVEN THEN THE PAIN WON'T STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!"

We finally reached the right door, but it was locked. The screams inside were as loud as possible, and I could hear several sickening cracks as bones were being broken. I grabbed a wire from a picklock set I kept in my pocket, and started to unlock the door. Once I heard the click of the lock, I opened the door. And was disgusted by the sight. Blood was everywhere, splattered on desks, walls, and the person torturing who was on the ground. The person on the ground was lying in a pool of blood, and his hair was blood soaked, but I still recognized him. Marik's yami.

Thief of Shadows: Ooohh...errrr... Bloody.... Oops...


	4. CH 4

Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, shape, or form, own Yu-Gi-Oh. Or the characters. I wish I owned Yami Marik though. Poor hot guy that I'm torturing.

**/Ryou to Bakura/ **

**Bakura to Ryou**

**(Yugi to Yami)**

**)Yami to Yugi( **

**Seto to Set**

**-Set to Seto-**

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

Marik's POV

I saw Mariku, but I couldn't believe it. He was being tortured? When I sent him to the Shadow Realm, I never thought that this would happen, never hope for this. Yet he was laying there, thrashing and screaming, trying to escape from the torture. It took the person a bit to notice us, and he looked surprised when he did. When my yami noticed the pain had lessened, he looked around, after quieting down. When he saw us, I saw him mouth out 2 words: 'Thank You' before he passed out. I wanted to go and help him, all former hate forgotten.

In its place, anger towards the man torturing him erupted, anger at him for hurting my yami, anyone, like this. No one deserved it. Yet he had, he had tortured my yami until he had broken down. There had been no reason. I prepared to jump at the man, but Bakura grabbed me. Why, I do not know. I know my yami isn't exactly his favorite person, but even he shouldn't let him be in this much pain.

"If you want to live, you have to stay back. This man is a vampire. Not the best person to pick a fight with. Don't worry, I know a way to get him away." he whispered, still keeping me in his grasp. Dang he has a strong grip.

As I looked around, I noticed no one else looked very good about what happened. Ryou looked ready to throw up, or pass out, which ever came first. Yugi also looked sick , but he had also closed his eyes, not wanting to see all the blood. Even Yami looked slightly sickened, even though he and my yami had been major enemies. I, on the other hand, was sickened and enraged, seeing my darkness in this state. Sure, he tried to get rid of me, but even if that... The Shadow Realm was enough, even for him. While I had been musing, I hadn't noticed the man's movements. He was wearing a robe with a hooded cloak over it, so as to prevent his face from being seen, and to my horror he was right in front of me in seconds. At that time, though, I didn't have much thinking time, for he picked me up by the throat, and had started to squeeze, I felt my breath slip away. The feeling was short lived, for Bakura had thrown a silver... thing at the man, and he dropped me, before disappearing into the shadows. I got up unaided, after regaining my breath.

Bakura was looking round the room, scrutinizing every detail in the shadows and blood patterns. He finally stopped over my yami, and crouched down to inspect him. I moved towards Bakura and Mariku, and, even though it was only seconds, it seemed like hours. Once I reached him, I actually saw worry on Bakura's face. Worry that my yami wasn't going to live? Or something... deeper, more sinister?

After a moment of tension, in which Yugi had left the room, saying he felt sick, and Yami following him. Ryou had come next to his yami, having an inquiring look about him. I finally asked the question.

"What are you so worried about, Bakura?"

"An issue you would've never noticed. He's a vampire. And don't worry, he's alive, but I don't know if he'll live."

"A vampire? They aren't real. Are they?" Ryou asked, coming into the conversation.

"What do you think? I'll show you he's a vampire," he turned Mariku over so that we could see his back, and pointed out to odd spots next to each shoulder blade, which the bone nubs were easy to see because of his malnutrition, "This is where his wings would come out," he then turned him back over, and pointed out his K9 teeth in his slightly open mouth," These are longer than on a human."

"So he is a vampire. But, this will complicate things. How will we get him into a hospital? We can't heal all this ourselves. And if the doctors found this out, they'd surely want to study him." I answered, wondering if Bakura had thought of this.

" No dur, Sherlock. We will just have to take him to a different hospital. One that treats vampires. It's actually quite a nice place."

"What do you mean a hospital for vampires? Surely there aren't more. Plus, if they had one, wouldn't they keep it secret?" Ryou was getting on Bakura's nerves.

"Of course there are more vampires, and they have a hospital. They only reveal the vampires section to vampires, Baka."

There was a period of silence, in which Yami and Yugi had come in, then left to find Seto and the others in the Boiler Room hallway with Bakura, leaving Ryou and I to care for Mariku. A couple of times, he would shift and seem to be waking up, only to fall back into unconsciousness. Sometimes, he would start to whimper through the veil of unconsciousness, it was obvious either the injuries pained him that much, or he was dreaming. I thought back to when we had found him, and couldn't blame him for screaming. Anyone would have done the same, actually maybe worse. When I had more closely inspected Mariku's frame, he had become incredibly thin, his ribs and many bones stuck out, letting anyone clearly see the breaks.

I had been trying to access his soul room, while Ryou was standing at the door, but was brought back by a sudden, harsh cough, which was followed by more coughs. I realized this was from my yami, and came back to reality to find him shaking and sweating terribly. Ryou had come over and was looking concerned, when the seizures began to start. Mariku had started to flail and twist, while Ryou and I were trying to help him, but we were afraid of hurting him. We had finally been able to pin down both of his arms without harming him, now the only thing was the harsh breathing and coughs coming from him. When I felt his forehead, it was obvious that he was sick, his forehead was burning. I noticed a red band of fever stretched across his face. If I wanted Mariku to live, we had to get him to the hospital. And fast. I really hope Bakura can explain the situation to the others.

Bakura's POV

I have recently reached the Boiler Room hallway, along with Yugi, Yami, and two new people, Rex and Weevil. The way we had found them was... Odd. We had heard people calling for help from in a pair of lockers, and when we had finally picked the lock on both of them, Rex and Weevil had come tumbling out from their respective lockers. Their excuse was that they were hiding from the attackers. They're lucky they're so midgety, almost like Yugi, or they wouldn't have fit in the lockers. Lucky midgets. We had met up with Set, Seto, Mokuba, Tristan, Joey, and Duke, then had a hard time explaining the situation to them. Joey couldn't believe he was going to help the same person that had tried to get rid of him.

We had started to walk to the room where I had left Marik and Ryou, when Ryou contacted me. It sounded urgent.

**/Bakura? We need to get Mariku to the hospital. Fast. He's showing major signs of sickness. He's burning up!/**

**Okay! Calm down. I'll just hurry.**

**/Couldn't you call for an ambulance?/**

**Err... Maybe.**

**/Then call! Unless you WANT him to die?/**

**What?! No! Isn't there a phone near you? LIke in the hallway?**

**/... Yes .../**

**Then use that, baka!**

**/Fine!/**

And our link went dead. Dang he can be stupid at times. Just hope Mariku's still alive.

Thief: Vuhahaha.... Evil me. Reviews are welcom


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Because 70 bucks can't buy it.

Ryou POV

My yami had a point. There was a pay phone right in the lobby, not even 20 feet from this room. And I do have some change in my pocket. I'm sure Marik wouldn't mind if I left for a minute or two. I looked over from my position holding down Mariku's arms, to see Marik in deep thought. I don't think I should knock him out of it, but he needs to know where I will be.

"Marik? I'm going to the pay phone to call the hospital, okay? Bakura will give me the number once I get to the phone."

"Yeah, It's probably best you do call. I think Mariku should stay still now. Just, hurry up."

Marik POV

Once Ryou had left, I just stayed, watching Mariku. The look on his face suggested great pain. I did something I would have never considered, and placed my hand on to one of his, and noticed the the metal coils connecting his hands were burning hot. I immediately pulled back my hand from touching them. As if I had said a magic word, I felt contact at my mind link. Coming from Mariku. Not actual words, but I felt his emotions flood through. Pain, despair, fear, anger, sadness... All the dark emotions possible flood me, overwhelming my mind. I couldn't stand up to the torrential whirlpool, and blacked out, sprawled over the floor, my clothes soaking in the blood of my yami.

_Dream_

_Sobbing came out as the only clear sound in the overwhelming darkness of the Shadow Realm, no light was given for sight._

_"Hi...kar...ri... why? Why d-did y-you b-bet-tray me? Wasn't I enough? Why..." The voice melted away, shadows took over again. Shapes originated in the shadows, shapes of men like creatures, who circled into the sobbing._

_I was confused. The despair had disappeared, along with all of the emotions. Bright light surrounded me, and the setting changed. I stared at my yami, who was simply curled up, sobbing as the shadows clung to his body._

_"Yami! You're okay! How did you heal so quickly? ...Yami?"_

_When I tried to shake him, or to hold and try to comfort him, my hand went through him, and I fell to the floor. My eyes were closed when I hit the ground, I didn't see my yami being picked up. But I heard him stop sobbing, and start making strangled sounds from deep in is throat. I looked up, one of the men like creatures had grabbed him by the throat, lifting him 2 feet off the ground._

_The creature had black hair that had been slicked back, contrasting sharply with his pale skin, amber eyes focused on my yami. His voice was smooth, hypnotizing._

_"Look what we've got here. Someone stuck in this Shadow Realm," My yami immediately tried to hit the other man, but failing from the lack now of oxygen, he grabbed my yami's chin, and forced him to look at the others in the group, "Nice and tan, platinum hair and lavender eyes, he looks like quite a rarity. And a rather spirited one, also. I think we should keep him, he'll be a nice beat toy," whimpers were heard from my yami as he struggled in the cruel hands of his captor, "His whimpers are beautiful, can't wait until he screams. Now, let's taste his blood first. Sirk, hold him, and turn his head back. That's it..."_

_The first vampire smiled as a blond one came up and grabbed the male, tilting back Mariku's head, revealing his tanned neck to the first, who promptly attached his mouth to Mariku's neck, sucking at the skin. Mariku struggled, he bit at the vampire holding him and tried to kick the one preparing to suck his blood, although he knew it wouldn't do anything to help him. I winced when I heard my yami's sudden scream, I didn't need to look up to know what happened. He had been bitten._

_"Now, let's start breaking him." The vampire prepared a ball of pure black energy in his hand, before hurling it at my yami._

_I felt tears run from my eyes as Mariku screamed in pain. A dull thump was heard when his body landed on the ground again._

_I looked fearfully, and saw my yami, simply laying there, moaning, covered in cuts and bruises as the vampire gave him another kick in the chest area. Blood pooled under my yami, coating his skin. The others began to circle in on my yami. I knew what they were going to do, gang up and beat him, one after another, trying to each get a taste of his blood. I sobbed when I realized I had sentenced him to have to go through this as I listened to his increased screams, I was the one who sent him to the Shadow Realm. I was the one who sent him to this fate._

_"I think that is enough, for today. Now, Lithel, tie his arms and legs, and give him the potion. Wouldn't want him to die in a torture session, would we?" _

_My yami continued whimpering as the vampire that the leader had spoken to tied Mariku arms and legs, and pulled out an odd blue potion bottle, the contents were forced down my yami's throat. I watched as he passed out, and was picked up by the leader vampire, and then all disappeared._

_END DREAM_

Marik POV(still)

I shot up from my sleep breathing hard, and covered in sweat. I looked around, to assure myself that the dream was over. It was. My yami still lay in front of me, still the same, covered in blood, wings spread out on the floor, awake and trying to sit up...

Wait, did I say awake with his wings spread out! AWAKE? Before I knew, I was hugging my yami.

"YAMI! You're awake! I thought that you might have been dead! Are you okay? Please please say you're going to be fine!" I was cut off by a small yelp of pain from Mariku, and noticed that I was hugging him to much, and probably hurting him as well, " I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! Just, let me help you sit up," I carefully lift my yami's torso so that he was in a sitting position, then leaned his back on the top of an overturned desk, careful to spread his wings so they wouldn't be crushed.

My yami looked at me as well as he could, he had a black eye. I could see the pain in his eyes as he looked at me, and I could see some sense of betrayal in the eyes that were once like mine, but now darker and seemingly devoid of having any happiness possible, or even hope. He looked back down, his messy blood clotted bangs covering his eyes. It was undeniable. The vampires had managed to break his spirit after a year of torture.

>>>

Sorry for not updating for months. There were final projects for school, and I still have summer homework. Next chapter will be much longer!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. After all the disclaimers everyone puts on their stories, you would think people would get it, no?

"Yami? Yami, answer me. Say something! ANYTHING! Just please, say something... The other vampires are gone, they can't hurt you for speaking!" I was continuously trying to get my yami to answer. After a couple minutes, I got up, and went into the hall, and ran to catch Ryou before he called the hospital. I couldn't send my yami there when he wasn't even making a sound.

I caught up with Ryou right before he got to the phone, and pulled him back so I could talk to him.

"Ryou, don't bother calling the hospital. We can't send Mariku there, he's in a worse condition than they could help. The other vampires... They broke his spirit. Completely. He won't talk to me, he won't even move anymore. It's like he has no soul, he's just sitting there..." I said to Ryou, when he looked at me from keeping him from the phone.

"Well, if that is true... If he really did become broken in mind and spirit... Then the only way to try to help him is get Yami, Set and Bakura to heal his most major wounds... Then hope his state of mind improves over time... But that would take possibly months... That damage can't be improved within a couple of weeks, or days, like physical wounds." Ryou said back to me, proving how much he really did know about helping one the matters of their mind.

"Good you agree. Mariku is awake right now. But, as I said, not really responding. If this is what the other vampires were aiming for, then they succeeded. Because I guess once someone is broken in spirit and mind, you could just order them around if you were the one who broke them. Then... they would be able to have used Mariku as a killing machine once his injuries healed up."

"Then, if they had Mariku as their killing machine, they could attack with him, he'd get all the blame, and then they would just have to go and find another pawn... This is all fitting together now! But why would they attack this school? That just doesn't make sense, why would they bring Mariku? Unless..."

"Unless what Ryou? That unless could really help us..."

"Unless... No, never mind, that wouldn't make sense... Or does it? Whatever, I'll tell you later. Right now, I want to go and see how bad Mariku really is at this point. Maybe he might be in shock. Marik, go and get Bakura, Set and Yami, they need to heal Mariku as much as they can right now."

I nodded. It was odd to hear Ryou giving orders, but he does know more of the mind than anyone else we know, except maybe Shadi, but Shadi is not here, so he's our expert now. I just hope Bakura, Set and Yami can heal Mariku enough to keep him at my house or somewhere safe. I ran down the hall to the Boiler Room, hoping to find the three yamis.

Ryou POV

I walked into the room that Mariku was still in, only to see that he was moved from his original spot in the middle of the room. I turned to see him sitting up partially, leaning against an overturned desk. It seemed as Mariku had said about the yami, that he wasn't making any response at all. I walked over to him and crouched next to him, observing his limp limbs and wings. I grabbed his chin in my hand and softly turned his head towards me so that I could see his face, and his eyes most importantly.

When I peered into his eyes, I saw almost nothing of emotions but pain and despair. I cradled his chin in my right hand, and used my left to feel along his jaw line, attempting to get a reaction. I trailed my hand down to the back of my neck, and pressed down on his spine. I only got a bodily reaction, a shiver. My hand pressed down until I found the extra bit of bone from the spinal vertebrae that protected the nerves that went out to his wings. Contrary to how I acted before, I am very knowledgeable about vampires and their ways. I act so no one would suspect. I know all about vampires from Bakura who is, or was one. He's now part vampire, part spirit, and part human, too, I guess.

I followed the extra spine to his left wing, following the main bone of the wing to the tip. Gently but firmly I grabbed the tip, and pulled out the large black leathery wing to its full extent. I had to stand up and let his chin gently down to stretch out the wing. It seemed to be about 160 centimeters high, and about 2 meters and 30 centimeters long. They were quite large for a vampire to have been bitten and turned for as shortly as Mariku, however it may mean that he's near his changing. This was the time that vampires would grow in power, how often a changing occurred depended on the age of a vampire. If he were to change the first time, a set of assault wings((1)) would be growing under his skin, and would break through at the end of changing.

I brought my hand to the skin about 7 centimeters from his spine, and felt a large ridge under the skin, it seemed as if a spike was come up from under the skin, and was blood covered. The white bone shone in the dim light from a pocket flashlight I carried with me. Sure enough, it was same on the other side of his body. I would have to get Bakura to slow Mariku's changing for a day or two, when he was out of danger.

I heard footsteps coming down the hall, and quickly put the wing back in its place. I stroked down one of the leather flaps between bone on his wings, then stood up. I actually am very much in awe at vampires, they truly are marvelous. I also love the wings on them, often when Bakura is calm he allows me to stroke his wings. I think it calms him a bit.

Bakura, Set, and Yami ran into the room, looking as if they ran all the way. And the probably did.

/**Bakura, Mariku is near his first changing. The first spikes of his assault wings are coming out, one is fully exposed, so the next are soon to come out. Try to delay the changing so Yami and Set Don't Notice./**

**I'll make sure they don't notice, they don't need to know more than they do now. Did you get any reaction from him mentally?**

**/No, I got a body reaction to putting his spine under slight stress, but nothing really, just a shiver. I didn't check his fangs, but there probably isn't anything wrong with them. Please make sure Set and Yami don't notice the spikes, I want to get out as soon as possible/**

**As do I. I'll make sure they don't notice, okay?**

**/Okay./**

I watched as Bakura went over to Mariku and waved over the others impatiently, and noticed he seemed to be standing at Mariku's back on purpose, though Set and Yami didn't notice. Bakura put one hand on Mariku's back, and made it look as if his was healing a large cut, but I knew that he was using magic to push Mariku's assault wings back into his back. This didn't hurt a vampire at all, so Bakura didn't have to worry about Mariku struggling.

After all of Mariku's most major wounds had been closed up slightly and his internal bleeding fixed up, we were prepared to leave. The oddest thing yet was that there weren't any police or emergency personnel here. I mean, a huge attack on the high school with hundreds killed and the elementary school attacked, where as far as we know no one might have survived. Mokuba would have probably survived and be found, if he wasn't Set would be helping Seto look for him. If Seto hadn't been found, then Set would be freaking out.

I jumped when Yugi and Joey suddenly ran into the room.

"You guys, turn on the T.V.! Now!" said Yugi, jumping to hit the power button on the T.V. When he hit it, a special news report was on, showing destruction on a major scale. What I recognized as the police station was in flames, many of the parked cars were blown up. A picture of the high school and elementary school how they were currently was also shown. A voice came over the T.V.:

"Scenes of complete destruction and mayhem are surrounding the city of Domino today after many chaotic attacks. The attacks on the school..." I tuned out the rest. That's why the police weren't here, the station had been attacked. This was all to coincidental.

"Bakura, Marik and I were discussing something about Mariku, and the vampires. We think that the vampires meant to break his spirit. This way, he can be used as a killing machine, and none would know who really did it. The vampires can just order him around now, he obviously won't fight back. But I have a question, can vampires gain access to the mind of another that they've broken?" I whispered to Bakura, who was right next to me, watching.

"Yes, they can. Why do you ask?"

"I thought you would figure it out, but very well. If the vampires can control Mariku from a distance, they can command him to attack. So, maybe they meant to leave him here. It was all to easy for you to get rid of the vampire. Maybe they meant for us to find him. Maybe they wanted us to take care of and heal him. Mariku wouldn't know how to fight their control, and this way, he would be close to people. Mariku would be like their puppet. This is the only explanation I could find. Maybe they wanted us alive. Isn't it unusual? That only we survived? Set, Yami, You, me, the other hikaris, Joey, Duke, Tristan, probably Mokuba also? Everyone else was killed."

"That does make sense. Why would we be the only ones left? They are smarter than I thought. Knowing that we would take care of him whether he was their puppet or not... That's why the other fled only when we found Mariku... Dirty things want him to be with us, they know we would not kill Mariku. Have you mentioned this to anyone else?"

"No, but they should know so they won't kill him if he's being controlled. Let's just get everyone back here and tell them... Then they'll be on their guard." I said, before turning to Yugi and explaining the situation.

"If that's the case, you're right, we can't kill Mariku. Maybe Yami could place a spell to protect Mariku's mind. But if he's broken, the spell might make it impossible to contact him mentally, leaving him in this state. I'll tell Yami and everyone else. We should get Mariku out of here when there is no one to see us."

"Maybe the Shadow Realm? No, Mariku wouldn't survive in there. Let's just try to carry him out. Maybe someone will be able to pick us up, like Ishizu. Where's Marik?"

"He and the rest are headed this way. The others are Mokuba, Joey, Tristan, Duke, and Kaiba." said Yugi, as he turned to Mariku, and crouched next to him, concern evident in his eyes, "Is he sick? He looks it... His wings look so... magnificent, they're huge, they look like dragon wings... Do you think I could touch one of them?"

"I don't think it would hurt. Maybe a friendly touch would help Mariku. Just stroke one of them."

Yugi reached out and felt one of the leathery flaps of the wings, and carefully stroked down. It seemed he was being careful not to hurt Mariku as he stroked down the wing again. He smiled slightly and continued to stroke the large wing.

"I love how his wing feels, it's so soft and smooth. But it looks so tough... Do you think it possible once he's in his right mind he might let anyone stroke his wings? I doubt it..."

"Hey Yugi, what are you doing? Are you petting Mariku's wing?" asked Yami, who was right next to the small teen.

"As a matter of fact, yes, I am petting Mariku's wing. Why? Something wrong with doing that? It doesn't seem like it could hurt him, and it's not dangerous."

"No, there's nothing wrong. Just you tend to pet cute and cuddly things. If you even suggested that to Mariku while he was listening, he'd probably think you insane. Well, whatever, we need to pick up Mariku and get him out of here. In case you haven't noticed. The rest are here."

Mokuba POV

Seto was keeping me close to him when we got into that Mariku was in. I didn't know if it was to protect or what, because it seemed Mariku couldn't hurt anyone right now. Yugi was crouched down next to Mariku, stroking one of his large wings. They were quite beautiful wings, and didn't look dangerous at all. He looked like he might be quite nice if he was clean and had his hair brushed, and all of his cuts healed. Marik had explained about Mariku when he had come to the hallway where we had all met up.

It looked truly like Mariku was soulless, even though I knew that he was simply broken in mind, not soulless. Not much difference though. Both ways you sit there doing nothing. I wanted to go over and see if I could also pet Mariku's wings. They looked like they may be nice to be able to pet. But there's no way Seto would allow that. Not that Mariku could hurt me, but Ryou, Bakura and Marik had explained to everyone that the vampires who did this to Mariku could take over him at any time they wanted at this point. So I guess I wouldn't be allowed to go near Mariku until Seto thought it safe.

Yami had said that he would place a spell that would keep intruders out of Mariku's mind, but couldn't use it until Mariku had recovered quite a bit, because the spell would drain Mariku when placed upon his mind. I watched Set immediately bound over to Seto and me. He was always somewhat hyper. It made life more interesting. He was odd looking in the school uniform, not unlike Seto. Set immediately nuzzled Seto's cheek. My brother and his yami were a couple, Set was the energetic one in the relationship.

"Yami, stop doing that. Wait until we're at the house. Anyway, I guess because I think more than the rest combined, I've called Ishizu. But we're having a limo picking us up."

Seto turned to talk to the entire room.

"Listen to me now, because I'm not saying anything twice. I've called Ishizu on my cell so that she knows of the situation. I do not want to be stuck here for an hour wondering what to do. We're going to be picked up by one of my limos in about 5 minutes. It's going to be in the overgrown part of the teacher's parking lot. We just need to get out unnoticed." Seto said. He looked around the room for suggestions of any unnoticed door to get out of the school. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

I knew nothing of how to get out of this school. It seemed the limo might have to wait. I knew Seto was going to think of a new plan to get out, until Joey raised his hand as if waiting to be called on.

"I know a way to get out pretty much unnoticed, but I don't know how it will work. There's a window in a utility closet in the back of the school. It's almost always unlocked, and if it isn't, I've got some keys. Anyway, the window is very close to the overgrown section of the teacher's parking lot. But I don't think it's big enough to get Mariku out with his wings. I don't know, let's just go see. Tristan and I have used it tons, no one has ever noticed before, but there are usually many cars and a couple buses to hide behind. I don't think we could hide his wings though." Joey said. I was amazed that it would be Joey to help the situation, but it was fine either way.

Joey POV

The others had decided to take my suggestion of the utility closet window, and so Tristan and I were leading them to the said utility closet. We go there after only 3 minutes. I climbed up on the bench in the closet and unlocked the window, opening it to be assaulted by the cool air of morning. I measured the window with my eyes, and looked back at Mariku, who was on Bakura's back. It looked like Mariku might fit if his wings were tied closed. Or held closed while being pushed through the window. I climbed on the window ledge and jumped down into the grass. Tristan followed, me, along with Duke, who was clinging to Tristan. I forgot about his acrophobia.

Everyone else eventually jumped out the window, whether they liked or not. We had managed to get out Mariku after about 5 minutes of experimenting different ways, without hurting his wings. We were in the one place I never thought I would be, Kaiba's limo, headed towards the Ishtar house. Roland was not surprised about the situation at all, I guess he dealt with these things quite a bit, being Kaiba's head goon.

We eventually got to the Ishtar house, after an incident where Mariku's wings had unexpectedly stretched out quickly after Mokuba was knocked to the ground and grabbed one of the wings. We had to make sure no one was outside to watch before getting Mariku out of the limo and into the house, someone seeing Mariku would cause quite a scene. All of us, including the Kaiba's, went into the Ishtar house. Kaiba figured that less people would be going to this place to find someone.

Bakura POV

I was carrying Mariku on my back to get into the house. I guess no one else really could. It wasn't because of weight, but that someone might damage Mariku's wings by accident. I felt alright about leaving Mariku with Ishizu, she had known about vampires when she had been the only one to help me. I had been attacked by hunters while out hunting, and ended up having a wing mangled. Ryou always locked the doors and windows, because I usually came right when he woke up. So the only person I knew could treat wounds was Ishizu, so I went to her.

I looked back at Mariku, and was stunned by how lifeless he was, but still looked full of energy. So mangled, yet so beautiful. I guess I didn't realize how beautiful he was in Battle City because of all the fighting going on. But by Ra he's lovely. Wonder if he looks better being covered by blood or without it. Probably without would be better. I glanced at Ryou, who was conversing with the Pharaoh. Probably explaining with better terms why he thought that the vampire's had left Mariku behind.

We didn't stop to ring the bell, Marik just unlocked the door and we all came in. Ishizu was ready for us, she was just coming down the stairs when we all went into the living room.

"Put Mariku on the Towel right there, I'll go and get the supplies. Oh, and Bakura," I looked up at Ishizu, "Come and help me get the supplies. You too, Ryou. I have A feeling we're going to need quite a bit."

I placed Mariku down on a towel that had been lain down on the floor, probably by Ishizu, and got up to follow Ryou after Ishizu.

Yeah, that took a while. I just got Diablo 2. It occupies and mystifies me. Please Review!


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